'Travel on the Cheap' to Tulip Festival or Elsewhere

This past weekend, I took Via Rail up to Ottawa to visit my daughter who has recently chosen to make Ottawa her home. The Parliament buildings are in the background across the river from The Museum of Civilization.

This is the Japanese Garden at the museum, the rocks arranged to symbolize pebbles thrown into water and the raked sand symbolizes the rippling effect following the stones' hitting the water.

The Falling Fountains cascading down the sides of the museum, facing southerly.
The Ottawa Tulip Festival was on this weekend while I was there, and we also visited the Ottawa Market, and the Museum of Civilization in Hull (Gatineau).

These pictures are some of the ones I took while there.

This is 'The Man With Two Hats', a very tall statue at Dawes Lake. During WWII, Canadian soldiers played a crucial role in the liberation of the Netherlands. With the donation of this monument - an expression of joy and the celebration of freedom - the Netherlands pays a lasting tribute to Canadians.
The statue is identical to one that stands in Apeldoorn, Holland. The twin monuments link Canada and the Netherlands though they are separated by an ocean. The two countries will forever be close friends.

Also, because Ottawa gave sanctuary to the Dutch Queen and her daughter during the same war, we have received these beautiful tulips as another token, and, thus, the tulip festival. Holland has a festival every year, too, and every fifth year (I believe it is) the festival is international and shows exceptionally rare tulips.
This beauty was captured, and discovered, by my daughter, Josie. The tulip was hiding between a bed of pinks and a bed of whites. A gorgeous mutant, maybe.
Did you know that you can buy a train ticket (probably bus, too) to anywhere in Canada, and make overnight, or longer, stops along the way?
This means you could go cheap coach, (just over $890 from Belleville) to Vancouver with 12 travel days in either direction within a 30 day period. You could hop on a bike, and bike awhile along the Trans Canada Trail, and then you can hop right back on the train and continue on your way until you choose to get off again.
Travel is such a great retirement choice. It just goes to show that you don't have to be wealthy to travel.
Thank you, Nate, for this: "Love traveling & also love to save money while traveling. That's why used to get my hotel bookings through Quality Inn for the best online rates."
Now I have to go check out April 17th blog.